With a picturesque campus on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and top rankings for most of its programs, it might be easy to forget about the cost of attending while studying at Columbia University.

With more than 20 different schools (and a few different campuses), from the College of Physicians and Surgeons to Columbia Business School to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, students have a wide range of options while studying at Columbia. Regardless of your program, read on for more details on how to pay for your Columbia education.

How much does it cost to attend Columbia?

The cost of attending Columbia will depend on which degree program you are enrolled. Undergraduate tuition for the 2015-2016 academic year was $53,000, with the total cost of attendance (housing, food, books, etc.) estimated to be near $70,000.

Columbia Business School students paid an estimated $65,988 in tuition and $99,824 per year inclusive of all expenses. Tuition for Columbia Law School students in the 2015-2016 school year was $60,624 and totaled $88,530 including all expenses. Medical student tuition was $57,634, with total expenses estimated between $87,000 and $95,000, depending on the year of medical school.

What kind of financial aid does Columbia offer?

For undergraduate students, Columbia’s aid scheme relies on a number of principles, including “no loans” meaning students are not expected to take out loans to pay for their education, as well as $0 parent contribution for families with an annual income of less than $60,000. This aid is provided through the Columbia Grant, which is awarded based on financial need, as well as federal and state grants, including the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) grant for residents of New York state.

Students accepted to Columbia Business School will be considered for a number of different scholarships and fellowships. Scholarships are most often need-based, and the amount awarded can range from $7,500-$30,000 depending on available funds. The business school also offers a number of different programs to assist military and veteran students.

Columbia Business School fellowships, on the other hand, are awarded to talented students based on “academic excellence, geographic and personal background, and professional experience.”

The funds for these fellowships come from a mix of individual, corporate, and foundation donors. For example, the Project Charity Trust Fellowship covers partial tuition and is awarded to students from the European Union. For the remainder of tuition and other expenses not covered by fellowship or scholarship, federal and private loans are the route taken by more than 50% of Columbia’s MBA students.

Columbia Law School helps students pay for their education in similar ways to the medical school. This assistance includes need-based grants, fellowships awarded at the time of admission, and awards specific to veteran students. Medical students are encouraged to apply for outside scholarships, and they can also apply for scholarships awarded by the school, such as The Alan and Ruth Borenstein Medical Scholarship Fund.

What kinds of extras should I expect to pay for at Columbia?

Chances are you won’t want to deal with a car in Manhattan, which will help reduce your transportation costs. Then again, you will be living in one of the most expensive cities in the world. In addition to a budget for warm clothes for the winter months, keep in mind the wide range of dining and entertainment options that will constantly tempt you in the Big Apple.

If you plan to live off-campus while at Columbia, consider that what you pay for rent in another city likely won’t compare to apartment prices in Manhattan. Columbia does have an Off-Campus Housing Assistance office, which helps students find apartments, sublets, and roommates, but securing an apartment may prove difficult for students with no income, so make sure to plan far in advance if you’re set on living off-campus.

Disclaimers

Explanation of $21,810 Average Client Saving

Average savings calculation is based on all Earnest clients who refinanced their student loans between 1/1/15 and 6/10/16. The savings of a particular client is calculated by subtracting the projected lifetime cost of their Earnest refinancing from the projected total cost of their original student loan, which is calculated using the original loan’s APR and monthly payment based on the same principal balance as their requested Earnest loan.

Simply put:

The average savings calculation is the sum of all projected savings divided by the number of clients included in the projected savings calculation. These calculations assume that clients’ interest rates will not change over time, that clients make all payments on-time, and that no loans will be prepaid.

Here’s what our math includes:

Projected savings for clients who provided outstanding balance, APR, and current monthly payment amount for their existing student loan(s)

Both fixed and variable rate loans

And here’s what our math excludes, and why:

Savings from any client who stated that the current interest rate on their loan was greater than 12%. (Why: this is intended to filter out any cases where client error may skew the savings calculation higher.)

For any client who stated that the projected term of their loan was greater than 25 years, we do not include in our calculation any additional savings that might be realized if their existing loan were to take longer than 25 years to pay off in-full. (Why: 25 years is the maximum term allowed for a Federal student loan, or the cap on any Federal student loan under Income Based Repayment.)

Savings from any client whose indicated monthly payment was not sufficient to pay down the loan balance over time. (Why: this is intended to filter out any cases where the client misstated either their monthly payment amount, interest rate, or both.)

All refinancings by clients who chose a longer term than their existing student loan. (Why: some clients choose longer loan terms to match their monthly loan obligations to their unique life circumstances; while we encourage clients to take advantage of Earnest’s flexible term and monthly payment features, these cases are not indicative of the savings that result from lower rates through better data.)

Explanation of Rates “With Autopay”

Rates shown include 0.25% APR reduction where client agrees to make monthly principal and interest payments by automatic electronic payment. Use of autopay is not required to receive an Earnest loan.

Explanation of Precision Pricing™ Savings

Savings calculations are based on refinancing $121,825 in student loans at an existing loan servicer’s interest rate of 7.5% fixed APR with 10 years, 6 months remaining on the loan term. The other lender’s savings and APR (light green line) represent what would happen if those loans were refinanced at the other lender’s best fixed APRs. The Earnest savings and APR (white line) represent refinancing those loans at Earnest’s best fixed APRs.

Savings is computed as the difference between the future scheduled payments on the existing loans and payments on new Earnest and “other lender” loans. The calculation assumes on-time loan payments, no change in interest rates, and no prepayment of loans.

Client Testimonials

Individuals portrayed as Earnest clients on this site are actual clients and were compensated for their time to participate.